It is a simmering conflict between two rival organisations over how Blighty's rich computing history should be preserved and showcased.
Now the ongoing war between Bletchley Park and the National Museum of Computing has claimed its first casualties.
Tony Carroll, an elderly volunteer at Bletchley Park, was fired after daring …

COMMENTS

Page:

Re: I wanted to go.

If you want to see Colossus go to the Computing Museum... its probably more interesting than the rest of Bletchley Park for a Reg reader and costs £5 to get in rather than £15. Or if you just want to see Colossus and not the rest of the Museum it only costs £2.

Re: I wanted to go.

If ever there was a time for El Reg to launch some campaign journalism, then this might be it. A noble cause to get those short sighted idiots to sort their lives out. Sacking a volunteer for being interesting and ensuring a more complete view of history is given is an absolute joke.

Unbelievable

When the ceo was asked what he says to those unwilling to subscribe to the wrong decision he's made, he says "thank you for your service". In other words, you're fired. You can't read it any other way. I love the way he says it and then contradicts the reporter who translates this common English phrase for him. He even laughs about it!

If this is who we're putting valuable computing history in the hands of, I am very worried. How long before he removes "unnecessary" exhibits to make way for jam and t-towels, I wonder.

Re: Battle for Bletchley

Statement from Bletchley Park just issued: wow, not even hint of an apology. What this masquerades as is: volunteer steps back into line, will get on with core business, protecting national heritage, stuff the alien outside the gates.

Re: I don't understand

Re: I don't understand

umount -f Toys

I go to the National Museum of Computing once a year, largely to see how the ICL2900 is getting along, but because it puts me back in touch with why I love this discipline and trade so much. I usually combine it with a spin around Bletchley Park itself as well, a practice which has given me the privilege of rubbing shoulders with WRENs who worked at BP in the war. Sadly it looks as though my next visit to the NMoC will be just that and no more as I don't want to reward this behaviour; it's childish, spiteful and short-sighted.

Re: umount -f Toys

total agreement with all the upset above

What is more: we keep being told that we are all ageing and must stay involved, active, working. Then some numbskull careerist, as shown in the film, believes he is being progressive by "moving forward" into denigrating and sacking older volunteers who know more, have done more and are worth infinitely more than his ilk.

Problem is, volunteers of whatever standing have less protection and respect than the worst jobsworth who is employed, even those jobsworths employed with public money.

@RoboJ1M

Although I would be amused to hear what the animatronic Turing would say! If it was any kind of realistic replica, it might be scathing. Turing was no respecter of persons, and did not mince his words or suffer fools gladly.

"His high pitched voice already stood out above the general murmur of well-behaved junior executives grooming themselves for promotion within the Bell corporation. Then he was suddenly heard to say: 'No, I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain. All I'm after is just a mediocre brain, something like the President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.' (In the Bell Labs cafeteria, New York, 1943)".

> Basically they are two separate things on the same site, pay for one or the other or both, its your call *

It's useful to have a heads up either way. It would be a shame to fly across the pond and then schlep all the way up there and miss out because of a misunderstanding fueled by petty politics and the egos of tiny men.

If my experience in work is anything to go by, yes they would deny all knowledge of it. Then when the CEO/managers back is turned say "oh, it's great, they do a discount on such and such days, the coffee is better than ours, and the tour chaps are great!". :)

I had the pleasure of having a tour with Tony, and I'm stunned that he's been sacked for effectively giving an overall picture of World War 2 code breaking. Collossus is integral to the story of Bletchley, regardless whether it is part of Bletchley or part of the Museum.

It broke my heart to see that man in tears being told not to come back. The problem is that, as with everything, people get a bit of money when they've had nothing and trample on the people who helped them when they had nothing. I remember when those huts were rotting and they were trying to raise money to refurbish them. Now they have lottery funding, it's all change. I'm disgusted.

I'm planning another trip to Bletchley, but I'm damn sure it won't be to see the Park but to go to the Museum. And any money I may have donated will be going to them, not to the charlatans at Bletchley.

'I had the pleasure of having a tour with Tony, and I'm stunned that he's been sacked for effectively giving an overall picture of World War 2 code breaking. Collossus is integral to the story of Bletchley, regardless whether it is part of Bletchley or part of the Museum.'

It's all part of the plan. To sell the area off.

You spend a little money, tinkering with the place. Get rid of its wartime charm, get rid of the people that have a passion for the place. Turn it into a soulless 'info-graphic activity centre' run by teenagers selling expensive crisps and botanical lemonade in the cafe and let the attendance drop and drop.

You then move the big stuff into a single unit re-brand it and then sell/demolish the rest for housing development and make a huge fortune. That's prime London commuter land there!

I'm glad I went 5 years ago before they ruined it. A great day out and I loved talking to the older guys there. Having people that understand what they are talking about rather than just knowing a script is priceless.

I was also shocked they are getting rid of a lot of the huge Churchill memorabilia collection some guy had graciously lent them for years.

Re: It's all part of the plan. To sell the area off.

Re: It's all part of the plan. To sell the area off.

This is exactly what's happened to Chatsworth since the old Duke died. The new Duke has sold off half the contents of the House, and doubled all the prices. I took a friend there last summer and we were horrified at the prices, and just spent several hours walking around the park instead.

Re: It's all part of the plan. To sell the area off.

The trouble is that the Trust has already sold off most of the park for housing, leaving only the most significant huts standing. So a visitor today doesn't get the same sense of operational scale as someone who worked there or visited in the 1990's.

Re: It's all part of the plan. To sell the area off.

"DB2DBA

If that's the case, why do they call it a "trust"?

Trust: the condition of one to whom something has been entrusted."

Big argument kicked off in Spalding town in the East Midlands. The Park that was given to the *community/public* under trust of the council that had a *private* football pitch built on it, though arguably still for the "recreation of the community" is now going to be sold to *private* stores and supermarkets for "the recreation of the community". Of cause, the funds for the sale of a *publicly entrusted* property is going to the council.

So sadly, they seem to find a way to ruin the parks and attractions, even when lawfully protected.

That was not nice

That was unpleasant viewing.

Its dumb to get rid of the knowledgeable old guys who are genuinely enthusiastic about what they show anyway, they're usually the best tour guides, and hell if its a charity then surely them working for free is a good thing?

But to do it like that to the guy says you have to be a complete fucking wanker as well.

I always thought the same soI was quite confused when I looked up details about visitng and found two different websites with different prices/opening times/etc. In the end didn't go put intend to some time soon ... though all this coverage has clarified that its probably the Computing Museum bit that I actually want to go to.